WTA Tour - Jankovic downs Venus in Stuttgart

Eurosport - Sun, 05 Oct 14:33:00 2008

Jelena Jankovic won a fierce scrap with Venus Williams 6-7 7-5 6-2 to set up a Stuttgart Grand Prix final against Nadia Petrova.

TENNIS Jelena Jankovic Serbia - 0

Serb Jankovic, seeded second but already assured of taking over as world number one on Monday, edged a classic encounter with the sixth-seeded American in two hours 45 minutes, despite being hampered by a foot problem.

Unseeded Russian Petrova's 6-4 6-4 victory over Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in the opening semi-final was straightforward by comparison.

Petrova, the 2006 champion, caught Azarenka cold, building a 4-0 lead before her unseeded opponent fought back.

Azarenka recovered one break and had Petrova under pressure again in her next service game before two huge aces pulled the Russian out of trouble.

Petrova then took control of the second set and clinched victory in 90 minutes.

Jankovic had come through a tough match against Vera Zvonareva of Russia on Friday night and at the start of Saturday's semi-final Williams looked fresher.

The American snatched the first set 10-8 on a tiebreak and it was all Jankovic could do to hang on in the second.

She made the breakthrough in game 12 by forcing a set-point against serve. Williams saved it before a terrible forehand into the net gave Jankovic another chance.

The Serb dashed across court to chase down a weak volley and forced a deciding set with a forehand pass that clipped the outside of the line.

Jankovic broke Williams at the start of the third set and saved a series of break points to keep the advantage.

Williams, serving at 2-5, put an approach into the net to give Jankovic two match-points and she took the second of them as the American overhit another approach.

"I needed two injections just to play so it's thanks to my doctor I'm in the final," Jankovic said.

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Reuters

Comment 86 - 105 of 125

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  1. If Dinara Safina wins TIER 1 tournament Kremlin Cup ,,,­ she can take over No 1 ranking

    From yekaterinabelle, on Sun 5 Oct 2:30PM

  2. Well done Jelena.... U are simply the best !!!

    From Night, on Sun 5 Oct 1:52PM

  3. goran they BOTH violated the rules throughout
    Both­ should have been arrested for comtempt ..,,!

    From subserrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 11:59AM

  4. now a completely laughable no 1 who never won a MAJOR­ tournament

    Let alone ever won a GRAND SLAM contest­ ! or even NEAR it //// simply played more­ often

    no wonder she whines continually about supposed­ injuries ++fills all matches with snarling screams

    From subserrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 11:57AM

  5. all 3 should be fined heavily 50,000/- euros each ­ & banned for at least 6 months

    to enable us to­ enjoy tennis without nonstop snarling screams combined­ with GO SLOW tactics

    From subserrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 11:52AM

  6. And yes, Americans are always fun of some player, until­ he is not danger for their players and interests. But­ they felt how strong Jelena is now. And was 100percent­ in the match and couldn’t do anything.

    From Goran, on Sun 5 Oct 10:50AM

  7. I am so glad that Jelena finally stood up against­ direct violation of the rules of the Williams. Serena­ was delaying with her services at the US Open,­ grasping for breath and Venus tried same thing­ yesterday. Yes, I know it is typical American trickery.­ And about JJ coach. From next year WTA will introduce­ direct coaching, that’s why no one complained.

    From Goran, on Sun 5 Oct 10:44AM

  8. Jankovic - V. Williams 6:7 7:5 6:2 ...
    Jankovic - V.­ Williams in their last 6 matches 5:1
    So where are all­ "Williams-sister-are-gods-of-tennis-Jankovic-is-ju­ st-boring-amateur" - people now? So finally -­ Jankovic has send a message to you - SHUT UP!!!!

    From Nebojsa, on Sun 5 Oct 10:29AM

  9. What a squalid show...
    Until the semifinal against­ Venus Williams, I would simpathised with Jelena­ Jankovich, but after I saw the show that she and her­ bunch of guys put up last evening..., all that was­ missing was a tent and a bonefire in the middle of the­ court. Will she ever grasp the idea of tennis being­ fairplay most of all? I was also struck by the attitude­ both of the referee and of Anke Huber, director of the­ tournament. Why didn't they warn her about­ continuos talking with her "coach" and sweet­ mother? At least that would have tought her of a rule­ I'm sure she never heard of.

    From gherovictor, on Sun 5 Oct 10:24AM

  10. Dear "davidemjohnson" you realy can't­ swallow Jelena's victory?? It was OK when players­ were complaining that Djokovic is taking to long for­ his serve, now for Venus - it's not OK? You just­ have to accept that European and South American tennis­ is taking over. USA and Australia have been on downhill­ path for a long time. SORRY!

    From stanislavsr, on Sun 5 Oct 9:21AM

  11. Victoria Azarenka could be a big saviour for our­ beloved game ~ good luck to her

    From Lucie D, on Sun 5 Oct 8:23AM

  12. when can we see some genuine stylish skilfull tennis­ contests
    instead of gladiator performances on court

    From Lucie D, on Sun 5 Oct 8:21AM

  13. Used to be a fan of Jelena but after watching that­ match against Venus and seeing her talking to her coach­ and mother while playing was totally out of order. Even­ the commentators on Eurosport got fed up with it and­ seeing her coach then using a stopwatch to time how­ long Venus was taking when serving, and complaining to­ the WTA Rep was all wrong, I'm surprised that Venus­ was able to concentrate with all that. For a player on­ her level Jelena, and her team should know better, that­ was poor, and not a deserving win.

    From David J, on Sun 5 Oct 8:17AM

  14. those sisters play such a very ugly game with their­ battering ram style causing earthquakes on court
    their­ bulldozers muscles should be transfered to the­ wrestling contests

    heir bull

    From serrrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 6:34AM

  15. each player should be fined 50,000/- euros for each­ & every snarling scream on court

    From serrrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 6:30AM

  16. yes scream queen would be best off in a monastry where ­ `` TOTAL SILENCE is required by the nuns

    From serrrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 6:29AM

  17. let trog serena recover fully medically ,,,,, a­ couple of years in a Himalayan mountain­ monastry
    Jankoviic can join her there for full­ treatment
    maybe we then see some tennis instead of­ snarling screaming gladiator contests

    From serrrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 6:27AM

  18. maybe jelena & both sisters could be sent on a ­ ~~~ Round`the`World 2years tour together
    and­ banned from appearing anywhere near tennis courts to ­ give us all some welcome peace & rest

    From serrrannos, on Sun 5 Oct 6:24AM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    the troll has won....yuck........ WTA hopefully will­ not use her face to promote tennis....

    From love_my_won_bin, on Sun 5 Oct 3:27AM

  20. would love to hear any opinions too or for my­ discussions genuine tennis fans preferably not racist,­ feminist, or sexual slurs as a few comments have been­ based on these and are completely useless informations

    From biney12000, on Sun 5 Oct 1:25AM
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